I remember very well the time when I had finished O-level education...boy was I confused! I didnt know what I wanted to do and the more I thought about it the more confused I got. The same situation arised when I was done with A-levels. It was a nostalgic feeling: Happy to be done with it at the same time sad to be done with it. The reason: I didnt know where I was going...Does anyone know how to handle this...

In order for a person to be prepared, it is necessary that he/she starts thinking about his interests, skills and personality from a very young age.

The mistakes most people make is start thinking about it either after O or A level. Than they are confused and end up stressed up" God I dont have a career" NOW WHAT - What are my options ( A, B, C) Than he/she just chooses from the A,B,and C. There are BILLIONS of possibilities out there in the world it is important one spends time to explore them.

For instance: When an individual is in Form 1 - He/she can start listing down specific skills he/she has - such as communication skills, time management skills, appearance and dress skills, stress management skills, decison making, risk taking etc

After listing various skills, the person can start thinking ok - in order for me to have a bright future, I must need these sort of skills, I already have this many now I should try and build the rest.

If it comes to interest: List interest that you have. Sometimes in life we have an interest in a specific thing for a short period of time.. Some interest are in us and we must do it in order to feel good. Such as community service, social work etc

Personality: Understand yourself, explore yourself, find out what you like - What sort of environment, what sort of friends, what type of people you can work with and what things you can not tolerate - etc

If an individual does things from an early stage - when the time of decison making comes - it is not that difficult - since you have already started to think in a specific path.

Do not choose from what is availiable - you will end up never being satisfied with your life. Take time explore all the possibilities. You career should be such that after 20 years you still feel " Yes this is what I always wanted to be"

I think it depends significantly on your cirumstances. Alot of youth are "forced" into early earning to support their families. Also, the unavailability of diversity in academic facilities and career opportunities doesnt really allow for so much exploration... does it? Ofcourse if you do go abroad then it is a totally different issue.

Exploration about oneselves, Interest, skills and personality - can be done anywhere around the world. The net itself have various self assessment tests. (Today almost everyone has wireless connections at home, if not the cyber cafe are also pretty cheap)

To have knowledge about yourself, is a plus point whether or not you are planning to go abroad to study.

As for the lack of academic resources in Africa - Yes we do have that.

However we do have some good Universites around us - Like the University of Tanzania, we have various Universities in Nairobi and colleges in Mombasa. And not forgetting the fact with the advancement of technology we have alot of Online courses available - Via distance learning. Whose degree's are regonized all around the world.

Places like the British council or a career resource center in a school, is a great way to start and explore the different possibilities around us.

salamun alaykum!
Well there are some of us who want to do soooo many things ...
I am an A-level student and i have only 5 months left for finishing my Alevels ..And as as the days are passing by i am becoming more confused as i hear about the diffrent types of occupatins
so how do you deal with such situation?[/quote]

I feel that one of the biggest problems we youths face, atleast here in Dar, is the inability (or maybe not wanting to) set out our priorities. Thats the problem I face every now and then.

Todays world is such that opportunities and avenues are literary endless. However some boundaries do tend to be set due to other reasons such as finance, social pressure etc.

I feel that at the end of the day, we have to put our foot down and decide, out of the hundreds of things we can do, which one can we rank number one...and then number two and so on. We have to have a priority list. This list is by no means final. Its likely your priorities will change over time...however, its a start without which we will be lost.

Once you have your priorities set, it will be easier to make decisions, as all you will have to do is compare your options with your priority list.

My advice though is, dont let that bother you too much...think about it...but dont let it hijack your thoughts. You are at an important crossover in your life. Concentrate on your final A-level exams...make sure you do them to your best.

hmm wat to do now...what career shud i go for..wat shall i do after completing school..these r some few questions almost every person asks..n sometimes these questions irritate...specially when ure done with skool n u still havent decided...i was a science student...done wtih O levels..since form 1 i had a dream of becoming a physiotherapist or speech therapist...till form 4 i had tht in mind..after finishing school..i started to search where i kud get proffessional training but unfortunately there was no wher in dar i kud get it...NOW WHAT???..this question bothered for quite long...my parents used to tell me to go for ABE...but i used to ask myself..tht is sort of ARTS..n m a science student will i b able to adjust...but thn finally i gave it a thought n made up my mind tht i'll be goin for ABE..n Alhamdullilah..i am enjoing it..so many at times...there r stuff which u think is impossible for u to do it...but without giving it a try u can never know wat potentials u got...so dont stress urself...n u'll always come up with something that u wanna do..

Yes i agree with you Saleha , that was the same situation with me,
i made up my mind before starting the secondary education that i was going to take a career in medicine but by the time i finished form 4 i did not like biology as a subject, so was finsind a different career so my paretns advised me to take ABE for the mean time as i wasn't decided.So i came to DSM to take abe as im from Tanga,I liked the course but in my mind i thinking that i was a sciece student and now doing this ARTS thing!!
but everything went smoothly and i really enjoyed and after a year with ABE im right now doing ACCA part 2 in London.
But we really nead guidance and advice from the specialist.!!!!!!!!

This is soo amazing. So many of us have been through the same sort of circumstances and have almost landed with the same options.

Saleha...I was a Science student too. All my O-levels I had not even thought about Arts. Infact..in my NECTA O-Level exams i scored AAA in PCB!!!
In my A-levels due to lack of further options after A-levels, I opted for ECA (Economics, Commerce, Accounts). And here i am , Mohdkazim...pursuing ACCA.

The more cases I see like ours...the more I cannot help feeling...that we opted for it just because of lack of other options. Since ABE, ACCA etc were readily available...we just went for it. (Ofcourse that does not make these courses bad...infact we can do wonders with them)

Yes its true that ABE and ACCA is readily given to us but we can do wonders.
Insh......every one will be fine and will do good with what career they choose.
But something should be done for other people to get more options.

All i can think of at this time is go and find a career councilor who can guide you.

Some years back, I attended career coucilor training and among the thhings they discuss with student is:
What are your interest, where do want to do your education and what the future holds for your career and all the details about the career such as how long will it take to complete the career.
One thing, a Career councilor will not give you all the details it is upon you to research your careeer and present it to him with all details so he can council you.

Doesn't our school have a Career Councilor, if not we ought to find one and make use of them

Salaam Alaikum..
Well i really need help as i'am really confused and help less!
I got over with my O Levels, messed my National Grades on some Health reasons and i cannot really concentrate on what i'am doing right now! I dont even know if what i'am doing is what i really want to do! This is too wiered!
I used to be really great in Computers when in school, Bio was interesting, my Fav hobby as in subject was ART but sadly there was no such course in AL-MUNTAZIR. We hardly get to do what we want to in AL-MUNTAZIR! There were no activities, no Art subject, nothing at all which we would like to go for! Its like as if we were forced to do all the subjects. I was sick of Accounts, Maths and all the subjects that they offered. I did not do them well at all and now i'am doing what i really dont know if i'am happy with it! Its not about "What field should i go to where i can earn alot of money" No! Its about what you are interested in, that's the only way you are going to succeed right? Well i was born with a natural gift from God. I have an Artistic minded! I can draw really well, scatch, paint and do alot of things which can make people amazed with my work. I can design anything as far as i am well equiped. I can design furnitures, interior designing and soo much more. I can play Piano but as its haram so i guess i cant go deep into it.
I am really interested in First Aid, taking care of people, cure people from small injuries ( Cant be a Doctor tho, too much of concentration needed ) I was really interested in Computers but these days, majority of people go for it so i dont think so.

At present, i design stickers. I can design any stickers you like me to make you, i can make Greeting Cards, Business Cards and alot.

I've been thinking for applying for any nice Uni for Art and Designing but i'am really confused. Most of my friends who see my work say that i should really get into it as i'am really good at it.
If you like to see my work than i can show you through email or msn.

well i am a form 4 leaver too and am very confused as well... but if u r very good at Arts then i think u should go for it and there is soo much u can do with this very talent of u'rs...look at the uni's which offer these stuff....are u willin to go abroad for this??